Mercury Franchise School

Let’s talk about the F word…. (franchising)!

This time 5 years ago I felt completely stuck. I lacked any motivation, I was very stressed and I was working 60 hours plus per week.

My health was suffering and my family…

But business was great! Work was coming in fast, my team was growing and we had clients on waiting lists to receive the excellent care that we promised.

Back in 2011, I started my business, Apollo Care, with no business background at all. I was a full time Nurse with a passion to change how vulnerable people were being looked after at home.

And I did it.

But the business needed to grow and I had no idea how to do it.

I came across the term “franchising” while having a chat with my accountant and to cut a very long story short decided that I was going to franchise my business… What could go wrong? 😊

Everything!

The process was very dull and outdated and the documents produced for me did not show my amazing business in the best light at all.

I was trying so hard to develop my business but was deeply unhappy with the journey.

It was also very expensive!

I looked in the mirror and had a word with myself. To grow and develop my business, I had to grow and develop myself. I had to stop getting things done “for me” and learn how to do this myself.

So, I did. I learnt everything I needed to know about franchising, rewrote all of my documentation, and hired the best solicitors I could find to write my legal documents. I felt empowered and so excited about the future for my business. I was still working long hours but I could see a very clear way forward and I was headed there.

Let’s fast forward to now.

I have 8 franchise teams trading very successfully under the Apollo Care brand and I am now teaching other business owners how to franchise their business.

I have a wonderful team around me who help me to do all the things I don’t want to do... Like accounts!

I have 2 little boys and get to spend all the time I need with them, I’m off in school holidays, plan lots of exciting trips for us to do and work my own hours.

Having a plan to develop your business is such an important part of being a business owner and I learnt that the hard way.

Having a plan to develop yourself, as a person, is one of the best things you can do.